U.S. patent application number 13/472079 was filed with the patent office on 2013-11-21 for heat exchanging system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Chieh-Shih Chang, Sheng-Fan Hsieh, Yasumi IRINO, Min-Chia Wang, Tiao-Yuan Wu. Invention is credited to Chieh-Shih Chang, Sheng-Fan Hsieh, Yasumi IRINO, Min-Chia Wang, Tiao-Yuan Wu.
Application Number | 20130305741 13/472079 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49510920 |
Filed Date | 2013-11-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130305741 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
IRINO; Yasumi ; et
al. |
November 21, 2013 |
HEAT EXCHANGING SYSTEM
Abstract
A heat exchanging system is provided for conditioning indoor
temperature of a building. The heat exchanging system includes a
magnetic refrigerator, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat
exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger is thermally connected to the
magnetic refrigerator. The outdoor heat exchanger is thermally
connected to the magnetic refrigerator. The outdoor heat exchanger
includes a geothermal heat exchanging unit, wherein the geothermal
heat exchanging unit is embedded under the ground of a
building.
Inventors: |
IRINO; Yasumi; (Fuji-city,
JP) ; Hsieh; Sheng-Fan; (Taoyuan Hsien, TW) ;
Wang; Min-Chia; (Taoyuan Hsien, TW) ; Wu;
Tiao-Yuan; (Taoyuan Hsien, TW) ; Chang;
Chieh-Shih; (Taoyuan Hsien, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
IRINO; Yasumi
Hsieh; Sheng-Fan
Wang; Min-Chia
Wu; Tiao-Yuan
Chang; Chieh-Shih |
Fuji-city
Taoyuan Hsien
Taoyuan Hsien
Taoyuan Hsien
Taoyuan Hsien |
|
JP
TW
TW
TW
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
49510920 |
Appl. No.: |
13/472079 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/3.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 10/125 20130101;
Y02E 10/10 20130101; Y02B 10/40 20130101; F24D 15/00 20130101; F24T
10/17 20180501; Y02B 10/20 20130101; Y02A 30/272 20180101; F24D
2200/11 20130101; Y02B 10/24 20130101; F24F 5/0046 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/3.1 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/00 20060101
F25B021/00 |
Claims
1. A heat exchanging system for conditioning indoor temperature of
a building, comprising: a magnetic refrigerator; an indoor heat
exchanger, thermally connected to the magnetic refrigerator; and an
outdoor heat exchanger, thermally connected to the magnetic
refrigerator, comprising a geothermal heat exchanging unit, wherein
the geothermal heat exchanging unit is embedded under the ground of
a building.
2. The heat exchanging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in a
cooling state, heat inside of the building is moved by the magnetic
refrigerator from the indoor heat exchanger to the outdoor heat
exchanger to be dissipated to the ground, and in a heating state,
heat from the ground is moved by the magnetic refrigerator from the
outdoor heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger to heat the
building.
3. The heat exchanging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
outdoor heat exchanger further comprises an air heat exchanging
unit, wherein the air heat exchanging unit and the geothermal heat
exchanging unit are thermally connected to the magnetic
refrigerator.
4. The heat exchanging system as claimed in claim 3, wherein an
outdoor heat exchanging fluid is filled in the outdoor heat
exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanging fluid travels from the
magnetic refrigerator, to pass through the air heat exchanging unit
and the geothermal heat exchanging unit, before traveling back to
the magnetic refrigerator.
5. The heat exchanging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an
outdoor heat exchanging fluid is filled in the outdoor heat
exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanging fluid travels from the
magnetic refrigerator, to pass through the geothermal heat
exchanging unit, before traveling back to the magnetic
refrigerator.
6. The heat exchanging system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
geothermal heat exchanging unit comprises a tortuous portion.
7. The heat exchanging system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
geothermal heat exchanging unit comprises an outer path, an inner
path and an insulation layer, wherein the insulation layer
separates the outer path from the inner path, and the outdoor heat
exchanging fluid travels from the magnetic refrigerator, along the
inner path, and then back to the magnetic refrigerator via the
outer path to exchange heat with the ground.
8. A building, disposed on a ground, comprising: a building body; a
heat exchanging system comprising: a magnetic refrigerator; an
indoor heat exchanger, disposed inside of the building body and
thermally connected to the magnetic refrigerator; and an outdoor
heat exchanger, disposed outside of the building body and thermally
connected to the magnetic refrigerator, comprising a geothermal
heat exchanging unit, wherein the geothermal heat exchanging unit
is embedded under the ground.
9. The building as claimed in claim 8, wherein in a cooling state,
heat inside of the building is moved by the magnetic refrigerator
from the indoor heat exchanger to the outdoor heat exchanger to be
dissipated to the ground, and in a heating state, heat from the
ground is moved by the magnetic refrigerator from the outdoor heat
exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger to heat the building.
10. The building as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outdoor heat
exchanger further comprises an air heat exchanging unit, and the
air heat exchanging unit and the geothermal heat exchanging unit
are thermally connected to the magnetic refrigerator.
11. The building as claimed in claim 10, wherein an outdoor heat
exchanging fluid is filled in the outdoor heat exchanger, and the
outdoor heat exchanging fluid travels from the magnetic
refrigerator, to pass through the air heat exchanging unit and the
geothermal heat exchanging unit, before traveling back to the
magnetic refrigerator.
12. The building as claimed in claim 8, wherein an outdoor heat
exchanging fluid is filled in the outdoor heat exchanger, the
outdoor heat exchanging fluid travels from the magnetic
refrigerator, passing through the geothermal heat exchanging unit,
and then back to the magnetic refrigerator.
13. The building as claimed in claim 12, wherein the geothermal
heat exchanging unit comprises a tortuous portion.
14. The building as claimed in claim 12, wherein the geothermal
heat exchanging unit comprises an outer path, an inner path and an
insulation layer, wherein the insulation layer separates the outer
path from the inner path, and the outdoor heat exchanging fluid
travels from the magnetic refrigerator, along the inner path, and
then back to the magnetic refrigerator via the outer path to
exchange heat with the ground.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a heat exchanging system,
and in particular relates to a heat exchanging system with a
magnetic refrigerator.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventional refrigeration devices usually comprise a
compressor for compressing a cooling fluid in order to raise its
temperature and expansion means to decompress a cooling fluid in
order to cool it adiabatically. These conventional devices have a
number of disadvantages. In effect, gases such as the CFCs
(chlorofluorocarbons) currently used as the cooling fluid are
serious pollutants and their use entails great risks for
atmospheric pollution and destruction of the ozone layer.
Consequently, those gases do not satisfy present-day requirements,
nor the environmental standards of many countries. Furthermore,
such conventional equipment, which operates under pressure, has to
be installed and maintained by trained and certified personnel who
must follow constraining procedures with lengthy, numerous and
highly demanding implementation requirements. Finally, such
equipment is noisy, produces vibrations, is bulky and complex, and
consumes a lot of electrical energy. So conventional devices are
not satisfactory.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A heat exchanging system is provided for conditioning indoor
temperature of a building. The heat exchanging system includes a
magnetic refrigerator, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat
exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger is thermally connected to the
magnetic refrigerator. The outdoor heat exchanger is thermally
connected to the magnetic refrigerator. The outdoor heat exchanger
includes a geothermal heat exchanging unit, wherein the geothermal
heat exchanging unit is embedded under the ground of a
building.
[0006] Utilizing the heat exchanging system of the embodiment of
the invention, in the summer, a temperature of a building may be
higher than a temperature of the ground, thus, the magnetic
refrigerator moves the heat from the building to the ground to cool
the building. In the winter, a temperature of a building may be
lower than a temperature of the ground, thus, the magnetic
refrigerator moves the heat from the ground to the building to warm
the building. The invention improves heat exchanging efficiency by
exchanging heat with the ground. Additionally, the invention
utilizes a magnetic refrigerator to replace the conventional
compressor refrigerator, which is quieter, produces less
vibrations, and consumes less electrical energy.
[0007] A detailed description is given in the following embodiments
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The present invention can be more fully understood by
reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with
references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1A shows a heat exchanging system of a first embodiment
of the invention, wherein the heat exchanging system is in a
cooling state;
[0010] FIG. 1B shows the heat exchanging system of the first
embodiment of the invention, wherein the heat exchanging system is
in a heating state;
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a heat exchanging system of a modified example
of the first embodiment of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 3A shows a heat exchanging system of a second
embodiment of the invention;
[0013] FIG. 3B shows a cross-section along direction 3B-3B' of FIG.
3A;
[0014] FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment
of a device of a magnetic refrigerator of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 shows a sectional side view of a thermal body for the
heat transfer fluid of the device in FIG. 1; and
[0016] FIGS. 6A-B are perspective views of the device in FIG. 1,
shown respectively from below and from above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The following description is of the best-contemplated mode
of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the
purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and
should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention
is best determined by reference to the appended claims.
[0018] FIG. 1A shows a heat exchanging system S of a first
embodiment of the invention for conditioning indoor temperature of
a building B (building body). The heat exchanging system S
comprises a magnetic refrigerator M, an indoor heat exchanger IE
and an outdoor heat exchanger OE. The indoor heat exchanger IE is
disposed inside of the building B (building body) and is thermally
connected to the magnetic refrigerator M. The outdoor heat
exchanger OE is disposed outside of the building B (building body)
and is thermally connected to the magnetic refrigerator M. The
outdoor heat exchanger OE comprises a geothermal heat exchanging
unit GE, wherein the geothermal heat exchanging unit GE is embedded
under a ground G of the building B.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1A, in a cooling state, heat inside of the
building B is moved by the magnetic refrigerator M from the indoor
heat exchanger IE to the outdoor heat exchanger OE to be dissipated
to the ground. With reference to FIG. 1B, in a heating state, heat
from the ground G is moved by the magnetic refrigerator M from the
outdoor heat exchanger OE to the indoor heat exchanger IE to heat
the building B.
[0020] With reference to FIG. 1A, in the first embodiment, the
outdoor heat exchanger OE further comprises an air heat exchanging
unit AE, wherein the air heat exchanging unit AE and the geothermal
heat exchanging unit GE are thermally connected to the magnetic
refrigerator M.
[0021] In the first embodiment, an outdoor heat exchanging fluid
(not shown) can be filled in the outdoor heat exchanger OE. The
outdoor heat exchanging fluid travels from the magnetic
refrigerator M, passes through the air heat exchanging unit AE and
the geothermal heat exchanging unit GE, and travels back to the
magnetic refrigerator M for transporting heat. The air heat
exchanging unit AE and the geothermal heat exchanging unit GE
comprise tortuous portions to improve heat exchanging efficiency.
FIG. 2 shows a heat exchanging system S' of a modified example of
the first embodiment of the invention, wherein a heat exchanging
unit AE' and a geothermal heat exchanging unit GE' of an outdoor
heat exchanger OE' comprise spiral portions to improve heat
exchanging efficiency.
[0022] FIG. 3A shows a heat exchanging system S'' of a second
embodiment of the invention, wherein a geothermal heat exchanging
unit GE'' of an outdoor heat exchanger OE'' comprises an outer path
GE1, an inner path GE2 and an insulation layer GE3, wherein the
insulation layer GE3 separates the outer path GE1 and the inner
path GE2. The outdoor heat exchanging fluid travels from the
magnetic refrigerator M, along the inner path GE2, and then travels
back to the magnetic refrigerator M via the outer path GE1 to
exchange heat with the ground G. With reference to FIG. 3B, FIG. 3B
shows a cross-section along direction 3B-3B' of FIG. 3A.
[0023] Utilizing the heat exchanging system of the embodiment of
the invention, in the summer, a temperature of a building is higher
than a temperature of the ground, and the magnetic refrigerator
moves the heat from the building to the ground to cool the
building. In the winter, a temperature of a building is lower than
a temperature of the ground, and the magnetic refrigerator moves
the heat from the ground to the building to warm the building. The
invention improves heat exchanging efficiency by exchanging heat
with the ground. Additionally, the invention utilizes a magnetic
refrigerator to replace the conventional compressor refrigerator,
which is quieter, produces less vibrations, and consumes less
electrical energy.
[0024] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6A-B show a detailed structure of an
embodiment of the magnetic refrigerator M. The magnetic
refrigerator M comprises a device 1 for thermal flux generation
with a magneto-caloric material. The device 1 comprises a thermal
flux generation unit 10 provided with twelve thermal bodies 11 each
defining a circular sector. Each thermal body 11 forms an
independent mechanical element which can be adapted according to
need. These thermal bodies 11 are arranged in sequence essentially
in a circle, and are mutually separated by one or more thermally
insulating elements such as a space J, an insulating material, or
any other equivalent means.
[0025] The thermal bodies 11 contain a magneto-caloric element 12
made of a magneto-caloric material such as gadolinium (Gd), a
gadolinium alloy containing for example silicon (Si), germanium
(Ge), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), or
any other equivalent magnetizable material or alloy. The choice
between magneto-caloric materials is made having regard to the
heating and cooling powers sought and the temperature ranges
needed. Similarly, the quantity of magneto-caloric material used in
the thermal body 11 depends on the heating and cooling powers
installed, the range of operating temperatures, the installed power
of the magnetic field and the nature of the magneto-caloric
material itself. For information, it is for example possible to
obtain 160 Watts of cooling power with 1 kg of gadolinium, a
magnetic field of 1.5 Tesla, a temperature range of 33.degree. C.
and a cycle of 4 seconds, said cycle comprising successive phases
of exposure and non-exposure to the magnetic field.
[0026] In this example the magneto-caloric element 12 is in the
form of a circular sector and each thermal body 11 comprises a
heat-conducting element 13 which extends to the magneto-caloric
element 12 laterally. The heat-conducting element 13 is made of a
conductive material chosen for its good thermal conductivity, such
as copper or its alloys, aluminum or its alloys, steel or steel
alloys, stainless metals or their alloys, or any other equivalent
material. Thus, when the magneto-caloric element 12 warms up or
cools under the effect of the magnetic field variation, it
transfers part of its calories or frigories to the heat-conducting
element 13 which warms up or cools rapidly, increasing the thermal
absorption capacity of the thermal body 11. The geometry of the
thermal bodies 11 thus favors a large contact area with the
magnetic elements 103 described later. In general, the
magneto-caloric material can be a block, a pastille, powder, an
agglomerate of pieces, or any other suitable form. The
magneto-caloric element 12 can comprise several magneto-caloric
materials, for example several plates arranged side by side.
[0027] Each thermal body 11 comprises a transfer zone 14 through
which the heat transfer fluid passes therethrough to be heated or
cooled. This transfer zone, illustrated in FIG. 5, is formed of a
through-channel which opens, on the same side in this example, into
an essentially flat wall 15 of the thermal body 11 at an inlet
orifice 16 and an outlet orifice 17. Of course it is possible to
provide, for all or some of the thermal bodies 11, the inlet 16 and
outlet 17 orifices to be distributed on two or even a larger number
of walls 15, wherein the walls 15 are all flat or may not all be
flat.
[0028] The thermal bodies 11 are fixed, resting on the wall 15
comprising the inlet 16 and outlet 17 orifices, on a plate 18 made
of a mechanically rigid material. On the side facing the plate 18
the thermal bodies 11 are provided with shoulders 11' which
increase their area in order to facilitate their mounting on the
plate 18 and to improve heat exchange with the heat transfer fluid.
The plate 18 and the thermal bodies 11 are separated by a thermal
joint 19. This thermal joint 19 and the plate 18 comprise
communication orifices 100 which allow passage of the heat transfer
fluid. The communication orifices 100 are provided with connectors
(not shown) for connecting the inlet 16 and outlet 17 orifices of
the transfer zones 14 of the various thermal bodies 11 to one or
more external circuits provided with heat exchangers (not shown in
these figures). These external circuits are for example formed of
rigid or flexible pipes each filled with an identical or different
heat transfer fluid. The external circuit(s) and the transfer zones
14 define the heat transfer fluid circuit(s).
[0029] Each heat transfer fluid circuit has means (not shown in
these figures) for the forced or free circulation of the heat
transfer fluid, such as a pump or any other equivalent means. The
chemical composition of the heat transfer fluid is adapted to the
temperature range desired and is chosen to obtain maximum heat
exchange. For example, pure water is used for positive temperatures
and water containing antifreeze, for example a glycolated product,
is used for negative temperatures. Thus, this device 1 makes it
possible to avoid using any fluid that is corrosive or harmful to
man and/or his environment. Each heat transfer fluid circuit is
also provided with extraction means (not shown in these figures),
such as exchangers or any other equivalent means to allow the
dispersion of the calories and frigories.
[0030] The magnetic means 102 of the device 1 comprise magnetic
elements 103 each provided with one or more solid, sintered or
laminated permanent magnets which concentrate and direct the
magnetic field lines of the permanent magnet. The magnetizable
materials can contain iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), vanadium (V), soft
iron, a combination of these materials, or any equivalent material.
Also, it is understood that any other type of equivalent magnet
such as an electromagnet or a superconductor can be used.
Nevertheless, permanent magnets have certain advantages in terms of
size, simplicity of use, low consumption of electrical energy, and
low cost.
[0031] The magnetic elements 103 are carried by a mobile support
104. In this example the device 1 has six magnetic elements 103
arranged in sequence essentially in a circle and spaced an interval
I apart. The magnetic elements 103 are U- or C-shaped with their
arms far enough apart to allow free passage of the thermal bodies
11. The magnetic elements 103 are fixed radially on an essentially
circular support in the shape of a ring 104. This ring 104 is
mounted to pivot about its axis between two positions and is
coupled to means (not shown) for driving it in reciprocation, which
moves the ring 104 reciprocally from one position to the other. The
reciprocating driving means are for example a motor, a jack, a
spring mechanism, an aerogenerator, an electromagnet, a
hydrogenerator or any other equivalent means. Compared with
continuous or step by step movements, the reciprocating pivoting
movement has the advantage of being obtainable by simple and
inexpensive reciprocating drive means. Moreover, this reciprocating
movement only requires two positions and this simplifies operation
over a limited and easily controllable displacement path.
[0032] The magnetic elements 103 fit over part of the thermal
bodies 11 so that the latter is straddled and surrounded on each
side by the arms of the magnetic elements 103. Since there are
twice as many thermal bodies 11 as magnetic elements 103, as the
magnetic elements 103 pivot in reciprocation relative to the
thermal bodies 11 the latter are, in succession, face to a magnetic
element 103 or may not so.
[0033] In this example the thermal bodies 11 are orientated
essentially parallel to the pivoting axis of the ring 104 and the
magnetic elements 103 are orientated with their gap essentially
parallel to the pivoting axis.
[0034] In a modified example, the device 1 comprises commutation
and synchronization means. Thus, in a first stage, the heat
transfer fluid heated by a thermal body 11 subjected to a magnetic
field circulates in a "hot circuit" towards a calorie exchanger. In
a second stage, the heat transfer fluid cooled by the thermal body
11 in the absence of a magnetic field or subjected to a different
magnetic field, circulates in a "cold circuit" towards a frigorie
exchanger.
[0035] This thermal flux generation unit 10 can be coupled with
other units, whether similar or not, with which it can be connected
in series and/or in parallel and/or in a series/parallel
combination.
[0036] Use of ordinal terms such as "first", "second", "third",
etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself
connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element
over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are
performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim
element having a certain name from another element having a same
name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim
elements.
[0037] While the invention has been described by way of example and
in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that
the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the
contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar
arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art).
Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the
broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications
and similar arrangements.
* * * * *